Shelton House Bed Turning Series

                      Paper, Pins, Scissors: New Stories from Old Quilts

Quilts are often admired on many levels including the beauty of their designs, the variety of colors, and the skillful execution of both pattern and stitchery.  Add to these qualities the written, and unwritten, stories behind their creation, and the journey of discovery becomes all the more interesting.  Join textile historian, Suzanne Hill McDowell, for a luncheon program from 12:00 – 2 p.m., Saturday, September 15, to hear some of the latest textile discoveries about a selection of quilts from the Museum of North Carolina Handicrafts in historic Shelton House at 49 Shelton Street in Waynesville.  Jane Cole, Evelyn Coltman, Elsie Orell, and Carolyn Strickland will assist.  Shelton House barn will seat approximately 50 people for the catered luncheon provided by Kanini’s, Herron House, and Olde Brick House.  Event tickets are$20 each and should be purchased by September 8.  Olde Brick House and Blue Ridge Books in Waynesville are coordinating ticket sales.
McDowell’s interests in textiles was inspired by family – the women who sewed and created clothing and other objects of delight and the men who built houses, outbuildings, and furnishings.  The speaker continues to marry her interest in material objects with her passion for documenting the history and stories that connect objects to people.  McDowell owns Story Threads, a consulting and research business that assists historic sites, individuals, and regional museums with the documentation and preservation of their quilt and coverlet collections.  A former museum curator with over twenty years of experience in collection management, exhibit design, and folklife programming, McDowell holds a Master of Arts degree in American History from Western Carolina University and completed a series of summer institutes on material culture sponsored by the Museum of Early Southern Decorative Arts (MESDA – Old Salem, NC) and the University of Virginia. 

 
For those who have attend a previous Bed Turning at Shelton House and know the amount of information conveyed by McDowell, this program allows for an even more detailed analysis than she has been able to give with quilts that she was viewing for the first time.  McDowell has spent the winter studying eight quilts from the historic Shelton House collection, and attendees will appreciate the fact that she is incorporating detailed analysis, historical knowledge, and a bent for weaving a good story stitched with a passion for interesting details and focused insight to create a delightful afternoon filled with good food, beautiful quilts, and memorable information. 

Sponsors for the event are Blue Ridge Books, Christmas is Everyday, Clyde Ray’s Flower Shop, Herron House, Olde Brick House, Polly’s Florist, and Quilters’ Quarters.  Call Shelton House at 828-452-1551 for more information.  Parking is available at HART/Shelton House parking lot.